Decoding A. Stathopoulo's designs
And the coat of arms of two countries!
A 1911 Perfecton A. Stathopoulos bouzouki (The No 141 of the A. Stathopoulo catalog but with extra natural white sea shell inlays on purfling / binding ), became the reason to start an intense research regarding the two main themes which A. Stathopoulos used for the pick-guard decoration of his expensive bouzoukia
It becomes obvious that the master luthier gets his inspiration from the coat of arms of two countries, Greece and USA.
Coat of arms we call the distinctive heraldic bearings or shield of a country.
Lets see how well know were the above two designs (used by A. Stathopoulos), during the years of 1890-1910
1. The crown design
In his crown design, Anastasios Stathopoulos alternates the crown by the use of 7 arches instead of 5
In his eagle design, Anastasios Stathopoulos gets mostly influenced by the back side of the 1 dollar Morgan coin. He alternates the eagle's head and wings position, (probably inspired by Greece first Democracy coat of arms carrying the Phoenix (1828–1832), or the common eagle theme on Neapolitan style mandolins of that era). He also reverses the position of the olive branch and the arrows been hold by the eagle.
An old, unique, and unlabeled bouzouki sold on Ebay many years ago, has sparkled a controversial discussion regarding its origin, date of construction, and its maker.
The bouzouki instrument carries the eagle decorative theme (without the stars), a flat soundboard with wooden fillets running through its surface (commonly used on taboura instruments), and a very unique head-stock.
A. Stahopoulos when uses the eagle theme on his Perfecton bouzoukia (made with natural white sea-shell), is placing the two stars on each side. Also his eagle holds the arrows at the left and the branch of olive tree at the right side.
House of Stathopoulo is rarely using the eagle decoration with the two stars. When the eagle theme is used by House of Stathopoulo, then is made by cheaper materials.
House of Stathopoulo mostly is using the eagle theme without the stars. When House of Stathopoulo is using the eagle, then the arrows are in the right side and the branch of the olive tree at the left.
My personal opinion regarding the unique, and unlabeled bouzouki in discussion, is that the instrument was made after A. Stathopoulos death , most likely as a custom order / or a prototype experimentation model from the House of Stathopoulo, or even more likely as a side job, for a customer or for a private use, from a luthier working at the House of Stathopoulo.
A 1911 Perfecton A. Stathopoulos bouzouki (The No 141 of the A. Stathopoulo catalog but with extra natural white sea shell inlays on purfling / binding ), became the reason to start an intense research regarding the two main themes which A. Stathopoulos used for the pick-guard decoration of his expensive bouzoukia
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| Anastasios Stathopoulos pick-guard decorations |
It becomes obvious that the master luthier gets his inspiration from the coat of arms of two countries, Greece and USA.
Coat of arms we call the distinctive heraldic bearings or shield of a country.
Lets see how well know were the above two designs (used by A. Stathopoulos), during the years of 1890-1910
1. The crown design
 |
| Coat of arms of Greece 1863-1924 & a Greek coin of 1894 |
He is also positioning the shield on each side of the crown.
2. The eagle design
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| Coat of arms of United States 1895-1903 & a Morgan dollar coin of 1893 |
He is finally positioning a star on each side of the eagle
Both of the decoration themes used on the pick-guard of Anastasios bouzoukia are well known , bold, and powerful. Anastasios may intentionally uses such powerful themes, promoting indirectly his "authority" on instruments making and his "superiority"
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| (Top) Coat of arms First Greek Democracy (Bottom) Eagle holding branches -common mandolin theme |
An old, unique, and unlabeled bouzouki sold on Ebay many years ago, has sparkled a controversial discussion regarding its origin, date of construction, and its maker.
The bouzouki instrument carries the eagle decorative theme (without the stars), a flat soundboard with wooden fillets running through its surface (commonly used on taboura instruments), and a very unique head-stock.
 |
| Unique old bouzouki restored by A.I Papadamou |
House of Stathopoulo is rarely using the eagle decoration with the two stars. When the eagle theme is used by House of Stathopoulo, then is made by cheaper materials.
House of Stathopoulo mostly is using the eagle theme without the stars. When House of Stathopoulo is using the eagle, then the arrows are in the right side and the branch of the olive tree at the left.
My personal opinion regarding the unique, and unlabeled bouzouki in discussion, is that the instrument was made after A. Stathopoulos death , most likely as a custom order / or a prototype experimentation model from the House of Stathopoulo, or even more likely as a side job, for a customer or for a private use, from a luthier working at the House of Stathopoulo.
Updates:
1. The luthier and friend Giannis Kadoglou sent me yesterday a photo from a bouzouki made by the House of Stathopoulo, carrying the eagle theme and the stars. On this particular bouzouki the eagle theme is the commonly eagle theme used in mandolins of that era.
2. The master luthier Tasos Theodorakis provided photographs from the unlabeled bouzouki in discussion (before its restoration) , and valuable information (provided by the master luthier who did the last restoration (one of few) Andreas Papadamou).
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